Zinke defends hiking park fees amid travel spending flap

WASHINGTON (AP) — Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke bristled Tuesday under questioning by Democrats about his travel spending as the Trump administration seeks deep cuts to conservation programs and fee increases at national parks.

Zinke testified about the White House’s proposed 2019 budget before a Senate committee.

He has proposed doubling entry fees during peak seasons at some of the nation’s most popular national parks to help make up for an $11.7 billion backlog in needed maintenance. Meanwhile, he has proposed cutting the royalties paid by energy companies to drill for oil and natural gas on public lands and offshore waters.

The former Navy SEAL flashed with anger when the Energy and Natural Resources Committee’s ranking Democrat pressed him on whether he could justify increasing access fees for working Americans when he has been spending taxpayer money on chartered airplane flights. Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington asked Zinke if it was a mistake for him to spend $12,375 on a late-night trip in June from Las Vegas to his home state of Montana on a private jet.

“Well, first, insults and innuendos are misleading. I never took a private jet anywhere,” Zinke said, adding that all three flights he had taken on private planes as secretary were on aircraft driven by propellers, not jet engines.